Maria Tutaia
Sport: Netball
Prospect: High jump
The thing about high jump is you have to be tall and skinny. Like ridiculously so. Have a look at the line-up of top class high jumpers and it would be fair to say the scales are not going to get a rigorous workout.
Tutaia, the Silver Ferns’ first-choice goal attack for many years, stands at 1.88m and about 80kg so may actually be too heavy and too short for the high jump event. Hard to believe but it is true.
But Tutaia can jump a bit, is agile and very athletic.
That ticks enough boxes in the department for her to get her Fosbury flop out and about.
Adam Blair
Sport: Rugby league
Prospect: Wrestling
Blair is not the most loving of athletes. He is always out there niggling and getting on the wrong side of someone. Seems to permanently live on the edge of the law if not beyond it.
His background with the Melbourne Storm — the club of the chicken wing grab and grapple tackle — should perhaps lean on Blair to trade in his Broncos jersey and get on to the wrestling mat.
Some of his tackles would fit well in any Greco-Roman wrestling competition although one would not be sure whether Blair would be too keen on wearing the wrestling ensemble.
Daniel Vettori
Sport: Cricket
Prospect: Darts
Now he may be retired from cricket and, at 37, is no spring chicken but age is just a number in darts. The level of physical fitness needed to play darts is about similar to a pie-eating competition.
Vettori as a spinner was always very accurate.By the end of his career, he was not exactly ripping the ball square on any track anywhere. But if you wanted the ball to go to a certain place on the pitch Vettori could put it there.
Darts is the same. Aim and deliver.
And Dan the Man Vettori is one very obvious nickname the punters would love.
Lisa Carrington
Sport: Canoeing
Prospect: Boxing
Now after two Olympic gold medals in canoeing, is the drive still there for Carrington?
Perhaps she needs a new career path. And with her guns and aerobic base, is the sweet science the sport for her?
Behind that nice friendly smile lies a killer instinct which is needed in boxing. At 1.68m and 53kg, she would just sneak in as a featherweight and would trouble many a brawler.
Concerns though about her link with health insurance and what and who Duco will have her doing and fighting to get some profile.
Aaron Smith
Sport: Rugby
Prospect: Jockey
The man they call Nugget is outrageously fit and has a burning desire to succeed.But he is short — that there can be no denying. At 1.71m he is no giant.
Now with a decent diet and forgetting about the gym for six months he could easily knock plenty of weight off his 83kg frame.
His agility and fierce spark will surely lead to a few rides on some horses and getting them to the winning post. A jockey has to be firmly in charge of a horse and Smith bosses around plenty of forward packs in front of him so some equine variety should not be a problem.
Brendon McCullum
Sport: Cricket
Prospect: Baseball
McCullum had great hand-eye co-ordination. Who else could do a ramp shot off a Shaun Tait rocket travelling at least 150kmh?So the obvious avenue for the former South Dunedin man is baseball. And the American League at that.
In that league, teams have a designated hitter. A player who does not have to field. He just bats, taking the place of an outfield player — usually the pitcher — in the batting line-up.
All McCullum has to do is get to the plate and hit the ball. Hard and long.
He can have as many sly smokes out the back as he wants. Plus he will not have to toss a coin.
Steven Adams
Sport: Basketball
Prospect: Rugby
Adams would be one mean lock.
He is tall and athletic and likes the physical stuff although not cheap shots in the regions where stray legs are not supposed to linger.
Adams is nearly 10cm taller than Brodie Retallick and just as mean. He would be one talented man in the engine room.
But let’s be realistic. Adams is on mega money in the NBA.
New Zealand Rugby has just announced a deal which will put more cash in the pockets of players but it is beer money compared to what Adams is receiving.
Jordie Barrett
Sport: Rugby
Prospect: Australian football
The way some pundits go on, Barrett will shortly be splitting the atom and rebuilding Kaikoura single-handedly. Let’s be honest, he has done nothing yet — just performed well in a stacked Canterbury team.
But he has some gifts — he is tall at 1.97m and can kick a ball.
Those attributes make him a logical fit for Australian football. The game, which seems just like a disorganised game of scrag, has plenty of tall men and you need a big engine.
The AFL is looking for new markets so what would be better than snaring a future All Black and turning it into a soap opera? It worked for the NFL and Jarryd Hayne.
Israel Dagg
Sport: Rugby
Prospect: Football
Dagg was a handy cricketer when young. But with his massive boot and eye for a gap would not football be his pursuit?
Dagg can kick the ball a country mile. He would be a good guy to have in the middle of the paddock, spraying balls everywhere and also strong on defence.
Possesses real acceleration so some late charges into the box will score some quality goals. Dagg could quickly turn into the new Roy Keane, although one hopes he has a better temper.
Suzie Bates
Sport: Cricket
Prospect: Take your pick
Stories abound about Bates and her sporting talents. She has played basketball for her country at the Olympics when she was barely out of school and was also a former tennis champion. A natural sportswoman who could seemingly turn her hand to anything. Cricket is very lucky to have her.
She is nearing 30 so it is probably too late to try something new. But who knows? She may give up the cricket and pick up some golf clubs.
